DAVAO CITY — The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Davao City is still investigating a fire that burned down around 1,200 houses in Barangay 21-C Quezon Boulevard, on Saturday afternoon in Davao City.
Thick smoke and a bellowing black cloud engulfed the city when firefighters responded.
Reports from the BFP showed that the fire started in the house of Ricky Gantalao, 40 years old., and it quickly spread across the neighborhood as houses were made of light materials. The BFP declared the fire out after four hours.
Senior Fire 0fficer 4 Ramil Gillado said that they received reports that some children were seen playing with fire by burning (electrical) wires. “We have witnesses and this is what we are looking at currently,” Gillado said.
“Our firefighters had difficulty going in because of the narrow streets, and this made it difficult,” Gillado added.
Gillado said “because it was right at the coast, the winds accelerated the fire.”
The BFP estimated the damage of the fire P9 million
The City Social Welfare and Development Office is currently doing an assessment and validation to determine the total number of affected families.
Department of Social Welfare and Development sent aid to the victims of the fire through City Mayor Sebastian Duterte. Special Assistant to the President Sec. Anton Lagdameo, Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao Sec. Leo Magno and DSWD Sec. Rex Gatchalian joined Duterte in the relief assistance distribution.-Eugene Hinutan
